Laying the Blame
by Christine Writer
Summary: Lizzie, Gordo, and Miranda are in a car accident in their senior year of high school. When Lizzie is tragically injured, can she forgive Gordo? Or was it his fault at all? Possible Christian Content.
1. The Accident

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Summary: Lizzie, Gordo, and Miranda are seniors in high school. Lizzie and Gordo just realized a year ago that they were perfect for each other. They are in a car accident, Lizzie is injured, and as she searches for someone to blame, she can only think to blame Gordo.

Elizabeth McGuire lay in a hospital bed surrounded by machines and monitors. Her blackened eyelids fluttered as she regained consciousness. "Oh, Lizzie!" Jo McGuire sprang from her chair and hugged Lizzie. "Oh, Lizzie, I was afraid we were going to lose you!

"Sam!" Jo shook her husband awake. "Lizzie's awake!"

"Lizzie!" Sam cried. "Oh, sweetie!" He hugged Lizzie.

"Mom?" Lizzie croaked. Her voice sounded distant even to her. "Shh, Lizzie. You have a tube in your throat. They'll take it out in a few days." Lizzie nodded slightly to acknowledge that she had heard her mother.

"Do you remember what happened, Lizzie?" Jo asked. Lizzie shook her head.

"You and Miranda had just been picked up by Gordo to go to the Winter Dance, remember?"

Lizzie nodded.

"The car slid on black ice and the car flipped over the barrier. Gordo got off with a fractured wrist."

Lizzie knew her mother wasn't mentioning Miranda on purpose, but her brain couldn't put it all together. She raised her eyebrows at her mother as if to ask, "And Miranda?"

Jo got the message loud and clear. She clasped one of Lizzie's hands in both of her own and said softly, "Miranda didn't make it, Lizzie. She died instantly, painlessly."


	2. The Only Person She Could Blame

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Summary: Lizzie, Gordo, and Miranda are seniors in high school. Lizzie and Gordo just realized a year ago that they were perfect for each other. They are in a car accident, Lizzie is injured, and as she searches for someone to blame, she can only think to blame Gordo.

Chapter 2

Lizzie began to cry and gasp for a deep breath, but couldn't with the tube in her throat. Jo called for a nurse and one came quickly. She gave Lizzie a quick sedative through the I.V. line feeding into the back of Lizzie's hand.

Three days later, the tube was removed. Lizzie got her voice back by the following afternoon. It had been two weeks since the accident, and Lizzie had missed both Christmas and New Year's.

A few days after the tube was removed, Jo announced that Lizzie had a visitor. "It's Gordo." Jo said. "I told the nurses that he was your cousin, so you better not kiss." Normally, Lizzie would have exclaimed, "Mom, that's gross—stop!" Now, she was just silent. She fixed a steely gaze on Gordo. "Hi, Lizzie." Gordo said quietly.

"Hi, Gordo." Lizzie responded mechanically, but inside she was falling apart. "I know that you're probably really mad at me right now, Lizzie." Gordo said. "I just wanted to come and say I'm so sorry." Gordo was on the verge of tears, a place where Lizzie had never seen him. She wanted to say, "It wasn't your fault." The words wouldn't process, the sentence would not form, so she remained silent.

"Bye." Gordo retreated quickly out of the room.

The day after Gordo's visit, Lizzie's doctors ran more tests and examinations. Sam and Jo sat in chairs next to Lizzie's bed as the doctor came into the room with the diagnosis. "Well, it's always hard to say this to a teenager, especially a girl, but Lizzie," the doctor spoke directly to Lizzie, "I'm afraid your spine was ruptured in the accident and you have been paralyzed from the waist down."

Lizzie's mind processed the words, but didn't fully put it together. Then it hit her almost as hard as the impact as the car had hit the median strip. She was paralyzed, and would never walk again. Her heart instantly laid all the blame on Gordo, but her mind tried to fight it. She didn't want to blame Gordo. Deep down, she knew it wasn't his fault. She knew that, yet she searched for someone to blame. The only person she could blame was Gordo. He had been driving.


	3. I'm Sorry

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Summary: Lizzie, Gordo, and Miranda are seniors in high school. Lizzie and Gordo just realized a year ago that they were perfect for each other. They are in a car accident, Lizzie is injured, and as she searches for someone to blame, she can only think to blame Gordo.

Chapter 3

Lizzie was in the hospital for the next two months. Gordo tried dozens of times to see her, especially after she was moved to the teen ward. He even saw her out in the hospital's garden, but she told the nurse helping her that she wanted to go back inside. By the time Gordo reached the spot where Lizzie had been, she was inside, away from him. Lizzie had seen Gordo, but she had decided that she never wanted to talk to him again.

Two weeks before Lizzie's estimated release from the hospital, she was out in the garden again, but this time she was alone. She had learned to operate her wheelchair on her own and she needed some alone time. Lizzie saw Gordo approaching and tried to wheel back up the walk but she hit a large rock and nearly overturned her chair. He rushed to catch her.

"Lizzie," Gordo stopped the chair. Lizzie stared intently at her shoes. "Lizzie," Gordo came around the chair so he was facing Lizzie. He cupped her chin in his hand. He lifted her chin so she had to look him in the eyes. "Lizzie, I'm so sorry."

"I don't ever want to see you again!" Lizzie cried. "Sorry doesn't cut it! Sorry is if you spill juice on my shirt at lunch. Sorry doesn't cover Miranda dying and me almost dying, too!"

"Lizzie," Gordo's eyes were filled with tears. "If there were anything I could do to make you walk again, or to bring Miranda back, even if it meant me dying in her place, I would do it without thinking twice. I'm sorry it happened, but we can't change that."

Lizzie started to cry, but she stuck to her guns. "Sorry doesn't cut it. Go away."

Gordo blinked and the tears coursed down his cheeks. Now his eyes were filled with the pain Lizzie felt every day. Lizzie turned her head away, but Gordo turned it back and ran his fingers through her hair, kissing her full on the lips. "I'm sorry." Gordo hurried away.


	4. Don't Jump!

Lizzie sat in shock in her wheelchair. Gordo had never kissed her on the lips before. Ever. Not even in private. The fact that he had just kissed her made her wish with all of her heart that she hadn't turned him away.

Gordo sat in the garden after Lizzie had gone. He propped his head against the palms of his hands. He thought about what Lizzie had said. The pain inside was unbearable. He left the hospital, walking across the open footbridge that crossed over the highway. Halfway across, he stopped. The pain he felt was literally making him fall apart. He took a step toward the rail. It would be so easy, and then maybe Lizzie wouldn't want to blame him anymore.

"Don't!" a voice came from behind Gordo. He turned around. An older looking man was approaching him. He was dressed a bit warm for L.A., even in winter. "You don't want to jump." the man said. "You have your whole life in front of you. Don't waste it."

Gordo stepped back from the rail. "Why?" he asked. "Why should I listen to you?"

"Sit down and I'll tell you."

Gordo was used to doing everything he was told to do, so he sat.

"Lizzie doesn't mean it. If you jump, then she'll never forgive herself."

"How do you know about Lizzie?"

"I was listening in the garden." the man admitted.

"She never wants to see me again."

"She does, Gordo. You're a smart young man, very analytical. You don't make snap decisions like this." It was true. Gordo almost never made decisions without careful consideration.

"Now go back to the hospital. You'll want to see Lizzie when she's ready to see you."

Gordo nodded. "Thanks." he said, but the man had vanished into thin air. There was no one else on the bridge. Goosebumps rose on Gordo's neck and arms. Had the man been real? 

He ran all the way back to the hospital. Lizzie was in her room. "Lizzie?" he said softly. She glanced up from a magazine. Her eyes were softer than they had been only a little while earlier. "Yeah?" her voice cracked. 

"I'm so sorry, Lizzie." Tears were streaming down his cheeks. "I'm sorry that this happened. I'm sorry that Miranda is gone. I'm sorry that you're hurt--"

She interrupted him. "No." she said. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I was so mean, even though I saw that you were hurting. I'm sorry I caused you pain. Most of all, I'm sorry that our first kiss was full of sadness and goodbyes instead of love and joy."

"Lizzie, you'll never believe what I was going to do just ten minutes ago."

"What?"

"You know that open-air footbridge across the highway outside?"

"Yeah."

"I was ready to jump off of it."

Lizzie was speechless.

"I was ready to jump and this guy came up to me and told me I didn't want to do it. That I still loved you and that you loved me. He called you Lizzie. I think he must have been an angel or something."

Lizzie's heart monitor started beeping erratically, and she tried to keep conscious. 

"Lizzie!" Gordo screamed. He called for a nurse.

(A/N): What happens to Lizzie? Tune in next week...just kidding. I hope to post the next chapter soon. It's getting harder and harder to write, though. BYEEE! 


	5. I Don't Know

Gordo was forced to leave Lizzie as the doctors labored frantically to help her. He sat on the floor and cried out to God to save Lizzie. Around an hour later, a nurse came out of the room. "She's okay; just a little shaken." she told Gordo. He nodded and cautiously entered the room.

"Lizzie?" he said softly.

"Gordo!" she was frighteningly pale.

"Lizzie, what happened?"

"The doctors have no idea. My heart just shut down for a bit. It was weird."

"It was _weird_?" Gordo asked incredulously. "Lizzie, you just fought for your life for an hour. I was so scared, I was out in the hallway praying to God—and I'm Jewish! No, Lizzie, that's not weird. It's God."

Lizzie was taken aback. "You believe in God now?"

"I'm not sure, but I believe he exists, at least."

"Gordo, that's crazy! If God exists and he's all nice like all those Christian freaks say, then why did he let this happen? I'm paralyzed and Miranda is _dead_!"

"I don't know, Lizzie. I don't know."

"Well if you believe in God, then you should just jump off that bridge. Then at least you'll be in heaven, right?"

"Lizzie—" Gordo was cut off by an old man appearing in the doorway.

"Is unfortunately wrong." the man finished Gordo's sentence. It was the same man from the bridge! "No one enters heaven unless he is covered by the blood of Christ. And the only way for that to happen is when you invite Christ into your heart. It's not enough to just believe in Him."

"How do you do that?" Gordo asked. "I mean, I don't know how much I have to believe in God to do this, but it can't be much, right? I've seen Him save Lizzie from death twice, and I'm sure he had a good reason to take Miranda away, right?"

"Right on both accounts. All you have to do is believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and that he did that to cover the sins of the world."

"Can I find out more about this before saying yes? I don't make snap decisions, you know." Gordo smiled at the man.

"Of course." the man revealed a tiny pocket Bible from his jacket pocket. He tossed it to Gordo. Gordo caught it and opened it. "Turn to the book of Luke, chapter 19, verse 10, and read it aloud." the man said.

Gordo complied and read, "The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

"What does that mean?" he asked the man, but the man was gone.


	6. AUTHOR'S NOTE

A/N: I seriously need inspiration! HELP! It's getting so much harder to write. Please tell me what to do!


	7. Go Away!

"Okay, now do you believe me?" Gordo asked. "He just evaporated--can you believe he's an angel now?"

"Gordo, I have no idea what to think right now--just go away."

"Lizzie--how can you shut me out? Don't do this--"

"Gordo," Lizzie said, hating herself but saying the three words that tore Gordo's heart completely in two, "Just go away."

Tears welled up in Gordo's eyes and Lizzie almost said "Stay" when she saw the sorrow in Gordo's eyes. It was unfathomable. He looked slightly ill, as if she had punched him in the gut. 

"Lizzie--"

"GO!" she shouted. Her head was spinning and she needed to steady herself and to think about what had just happened.

Gordo backed out of the room without a word, only tears streaming freely down his cheeks.

Gordo went to the church closest to the hospital--Calvary Chapel Los Angeles--and took a seat. It appeared to be a praise song service--everyone was singing along with the people at the front of the chapel. Gordo took a song book a man offered to him and found the song they were singing--Amazing Grace.

"Through many dangers/ toils and snares/ I have already come/ 'Twas grace that brought me safe thus far/ and grace will lead me home." Gordo sang along. He began to really feel the music creep into every nook and cranny in his being. He felt all tingly, and he wasn't sure why.

The next song, "Refiner's Fire", Gordo sang until his voice trailed off and he was weeping. "...and precious silver/ purify my heart/ cleanse me from within/ deep within..." the song continued on. The worship leader stopped singing for a moment and said, "If you are struggling with something, or just need someone to pray for you, just raise your hand."

At his words, Gordo lifted his hand. The weight he was struggling under was crushing him, and he didn't know what to do. A man came to him and prayed, "Lord, please help this young man with whatever he is struggling with. Show him your love and help him to release it all to you, Jesus. Amen." 

After one more song, the service was over. Gordo's eyes were rimmed with red and slightly puffy. "Thanks." he told the man hoarsely. "You're welcome. My name is Ray. What your's?"

"I'm David, but my friends call me Gordo."

"It's nice to meet you, Gordo. First time?"

Gordo nodded. "I've been dealing with a lot these past months. I finally feel like a boulder was lifted off of my back, but I still feel really down."

"Do you need someone to listen to you?"

Gordo nodded again. The man gestured to a small room marked "Prayer Room." Gordo went in first, and the man closed the door behind them. 

"Okay, first of all, I need to know how old you are."

"I'm eighteen--just had my birthday in December."

"Okay. Just making sure you weren't a minor. We talk to the parents first if the person is a minor."

Gordo nodded. "Makes sense."

"What did you want to talk about?"

Gordo spilled out the whole story, crying sometimes and smiling sometimes. "And now Lizzie won't talk to me. She never wants to see me again."

"Did she say that?"

"She said that before I saw the angel...and she said to go away, so I think that she meant the same."

"It could be that she just needs time and space to think about it."

"I didn't think of that." Gordo admitted.

"Well, here's my number if you ever need someone to talk to." The man opened the door and Gordo walked out of the room, took the card from the man, and walked out into the street.

"Help me, God." he whispered, and began the short trek to the hospital, praying the whole way. 


	8. I'm Here Now

Gordo changed his mind about going to see Lizzie right away when he got to the hospital. Instead, he turned around and headed for the parking garage, where his father's car was parked. He drove home, showered, changed, and prayed before heading back to the hospital. 

Lizzie had now had several hours to think about what Gordo had said. When Jo walked into the room, Lizzie burst into tears. "What's wrong, honey?" Jo asked, sitting on the side of Lizzie's bed and hugging her sobbing daughter. 

"Gor...Gordo said..." Lizzie choked out, "that he...he loved me...and I t-told him I never w-wanted to see him again!" Then, with tears streaming down her cheeks, she told her mom everything--how Gordo had felt so bad that he was ready to jump off of a bridge, and how the angel had appeared, and how she had told him that he should just go jump off that bridge.

"Oh, Lizzie..."

"What if he did? What if he jumped? It's all my fault!"

Gordo appeared in the doorway. "I didn't." he said, crossing the room and hugging her tightly, tears coursing down his cheeks. 

"Gordo..." she whispered. 

"Shhh...I'm here now...I love you..."

And they kissed. 


	9. To Every Thing There Is A Season

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

A/N: So sorry...with the end of the school year looming and with other stories begging to be written, this was on the back burner for a while. I also had the worst case of writer's block I've probably ever had. But it's over now, and I have a nice (fairly long, too!) chapter for all of my readers. Enjoy!

* * *

From that moment forward, Gordo never left Lizzie's side, and he never stopped praying for her. He prayed every single day for God to grant a miracle and let Lizzie walk again. Lizzie kept silent about their spiritual differences. She had to be tolerant of his newfound faith, she figured, or else she would lose him.

She knew that he wouldn't give it up, this faith. It was now ground deep into his heart, and she didn't know how to remove it--if she wanted to, that is. Lizzie saw now that as Gordo went to church every Sunday and Wednesday, began attending a college age Bible study, and finally "gave his heart to Jesus" (as he put it), it was the most at peace she'd seen him in their lives.

One day, Lizzie and Gordo were sitting in Lizzie's livingroom. He had lifted her effortlessly out of her wheelchair and settled her on the couch beside him. "Lizzie," he addressed her, "I was reading the most amazing thing in my Bible this morning. Can I share it with you?"

This was one thing Lizzie really appreciated about Gordo. He didn't want to shove his "faith" down her throat. He always asked her permission before talking with her about something he'd read in the Bible. Normally, Lizzie turned him down, but she figured one time wouldn't hurt anything. Maybe it would make him happier if she listened just once. "Sure." she answered, and he smiled gently.

"I was reading in Ecclesiastes 3 today, and it was talking about how there is a time for everything according to His plan."

"Whose plan?" Lizzie was confused.

"God's plan!" he sounded excited to share this with her. "It says, 'To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.' God has a plan for everyone, Lizzie! This is your time to mourn, and to weep, but God has an amazing plan in store for you if you just let him take control. Doesn't it make you feel safe, knowing that God is looking out for you?"

Lizzie didn't understand the point of Ecclesiastes 3, and honestly, she didn't really care. She had been listening to this Christianity stuff coming out of Gordo for almost a month now, and she was through tolerating the new Gordo and his so-called "faith."

"No!" Lizzie exploded in response to Gordo's question. "No, Gordo, it doesn't make me feel safe, because God isn't looking out for me! If he was, then would I be paralyzed? Would Miranda be dead? I don't think so, because that wouldn't be a good plan, would it?"

"Lizzie, what Ecclesiates 3 is saying--" Gordo began to say, but Lizzie cut him off.

"I've been tolerating this phase of yours for way too long and I am sick and tired of it." she yelled. "I may have loved you once--I did, in fact--but as your precious little Bible says, there is a time for hate. And I am pretty sure I hate you right now." Her words cut Gordo like a dull knife, ragged and uncontrollable. His words spoken with concern and love had been thrown back in his face, as if they were useless junk.

After her mini speech of sorts, Lizzie used her arms to push herself from the couch onto the floor. She tried to climb up into her wheelchair, but couldn't.

Gordo gently scooped her off the floor. She tried to work her way out of his strong arms, but couldn't. She used her right hand to smack him as hard as she could across his left cheek, and it left a red mark. A single tear escaped from Gordo's left eye as he caressingly settled her into her chair, but it wasn't from the sting of her slap. Gordo leaned toward her, and Lizzie almost wondered if he was going to strike back. Instead, he kissed her gently on the cheek and turned to leave.

Lizzie's heart wished to call out his name, apologize, and make everything right, but her pride wouldn't allow the words to escape her lips. Gordo left, and after he was gone, Lizzie sat in the sun filled room, buried her head in her hands, and cried her heart out.

* * *

So, what did you all think? I know this story is a lot of conflict/resolution stuff, but that's the way this cookie crumbles. 


	10. A Broken Heart

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

In the days following her fallout with Gordo, Lizzie was very disconnected with everything around her. She had no appetite, and the recovery she had made was backsliding quickly. Soon, she began to refuse food at all. She told her parents it made her feel sick, but she knew that it wasn't her stomach that was sick--it was her heart. Soon, she was readmitted to the hospital. Her cheeks were sunken and her eyes lacked the sparkle they had always held.

"Some doctors will tell you it is scientifically impossible," Lizzie's doctor informed Sam and Jo after she had examined Lizzie thoroughly. "But your daughter isn't suffering from any physical ailment." Jo and Sam looked confused, so Dr. Winston elaborated.

"Has Lizzie broken up with anyone lately? Had a falling out with a friend?"

"Yes." Jo answered. "She broke up with her boyfriend less than a week ago."

"Then it appears to me that your daughter is suffering from a broken heart."

"A broken heart?" Jo asked.

"Yes. Some doctors insist that one cannot suffer as Lizzie is of something unconnected to one's physical condition, but others, including myself, believe that a patient's spirit is just as important to examine as their body is."

"So she'll get better if she fixes things with her boyfriend?" Sam queried.

"Or if she gets over him completely, yes." Dr. Winston agreed.

"Have you told Lizzie any of this?" Jo wanted to know.

"No, I felt that this should be run by you first, as her parents."

"How should we go about it?" Sam asked.

"In my experience, it's best if the patient's mother tells her up front what I just told you, and ask if they can talk about it." Sam nodded.

"Good luck, honey." he told Jo.

A few minutes later, Jo entered Lizzie's room and sat next to the bed. "Honey," she addressed Lizzie. Lizzie looked over at Jo, and Jo's heart shattered when she saw how ill Lizzie appeared. "Dr. Winston told your father and me what she feels is out of sorts with you." Lizzie didn't respond, so Jo continued. "Can we talk about Gordo, Lizzie?" Lizzie responded this time by bursting into tears.


	11. Without Gordo

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, but a lot of emotions get sorted out, I promise!

* * *

When Lizzie's tears had subsided, Jo took one of Lizzie's hands into both of her own. "Lizzie, you're hurting yourself by bottling all of these feelings up. You need to tell someone what happened with Gordo, so who will you tell?"

"I'll tell you, Mom." Lizzie decided after a moment. "It all started about a month ago..." Lizzie explained about Gordo's newfound faith and about his "salvation."

"And I miss him, Mom!" Lizzie burst into fresh tears. "I feel like my world is falling apart. I can't fix it, and that scares me."

"Can I call Gordo?" Jo ventured. Lizzie couldn't respond, only nodded. Jo called Gordo and asked him to come to the hospital. He was there in minutes, it seemed.

"Lizzie?" he came into the room and crossed over to her bedside.

"Gordo!" she began crying yet again, but beckoned him to come closer. "I can't do it, Gordo. My world is shattered, and it's because I made you leave it. I'm so sorry, Gordo, but I can't do it without you. Will you forgive me and we'll forget this never happened?"

"Lizzie," Gordo said, straining to keep his voice level, "I love you so much, and I would never purposefully hurt you. You know that. And that's why I can't date you anymore."

"What?" Lizzie gasped. This was not the answer she'd been expecting. She paused, thinking, before asking, "This is because I'm not Christian, isn't it?"

"That's part of it." Gordo admitted. "But not all of it."

"So to date you I have to become Christian?"

"Essentially, that's what it boils down to, but I don't want you to become a Christian because you want to date me, okay?"

"Fine." Lizzie said flatly. She would just figure out how to get on without Gordo. The problem was, she had no earthly idea how to.


	12. I Love You

Lizzie carried on without Gordo for some time, with much difficulty. Every time she turned around, it seemed, she was thinking of him. She maintained her state of barely clinging to a healthy body. She was well enough to go home, and ate enough to get by, but every step was painful. Everything else was forgotten as her family tried to help her. Even Matt helped, in his own way. Ever since Lizzie had been in the accident, Matt had matured greatly, taking more responsibility than ever around the house.

One day, about three weeks after last seeing Gordo, Lizzie decided to go to church. She had to see what Gordo was obsessing about. She had her mom drive her to the church where Gordo had been saved. Jo dropped Lizzie off, promising to be back in an hour.

Lizzie entered the church, and was immediately greeted by Ray, as Lizzie saw from his nametag. "Hello; welcome to Calvary Chapel."

"Hi." she said quietly.

"Are you here for the 18 and up Bible study?" he asked, pointing the way.

"No. I want to talk to someone about a friend." she decided to put it very simply.

"Are you eighteen?" he asked.

"Yes." a puzzled look crossed her face.

"Minors." Ray said, smiling.

"Makes sense." she nodded.

"Come this way." he said, leading her to the Prayer Room. "What's troubling you?" he asked, once the door was closed.

"My ex-boyfriend got saved a couple of months ago, and after that he was different. Three weeks ago we officially broke up because I'm not a Christian. I want to be saved." she said bluntly.

"You don't want to be saved because your ex might take you back if you are, do you?" Ray smiled knowingly. Lizzie nodded embarrassedly. "What's your name, sweetheart?" Ray asked.

"Lizzie."

"Your ex isn't Gordo, is it?"

"Yes. You know him?"

"He's here now, at the bible study."

"Oh." Lizzie's heart began to race at the thought of maybe seeing Gordo.

"He's been praying for you a lot. He really loves you, but he told me that he can't trust his desires around you."

"What does that mean?"

"He loves you so much that he won't let himself kiss you or touch you because the temptation is too great to cope with."

"You mean he doesn't want to date me because he doesn't want to do anything wrong in God's eyes?"

"Essentially, yes."

"Wow." Lizzie hadn't allowed herself to think that before, and it was a very interesting thought.

"And God loves you, too, Lizzie."

"Really?" Lizzie was back to her old self again. "If he loves me, why did the accident happen? Why did Miranda die? Why am I paralyzed?"

"I don't know God's reasons, but maybe He allowed the accident to happen so that it would draw you and Gordo closer to Him." Ray's words sent Lizzie over the edge crying.

"I really want to be saved." she said, honestly. "I really want to."

Ray happily led Lizzie in prayer, just as he had done for Gordo only weeks earlier. 

Lizzie left the Prayer Room just as the Bible study was finished. Gordo looked up from the water fountain and saw her. "Lizzie?" he practically ran to her side.

"Gordo!" she smiled, tears still fresh on her cheeks. "I have some news, Gordo. I talked to Ray."

"And...?" he asked the question burning in his heart with his eyes. She nodded in response.

"Oh, Lizzie!" he smiled, and scooped her out of her wheelchair, squeezing her tightly. "I love you." were the next words out of his mouth.

"I love you too, Gordo." 


	13. The End

Lizzie carried on without Gordo for some time, with much difficulty. Every time she turned around, it seemed, she was thinking of him. She maintained her state of barely clinging to a healthy body. She was well enough to go home, and ate enough to get by, but every step was painful. Everything else was forgotten as her family tried to help her. Even Matt helped, in his own way. Ever since Lizzie had been in the accident, Matt had matured greatly, taking more responsibility than ever around the house.

One day, about three weeks after last seeing Gordo, Lizzie decided to go to church. She had to see what Gordo was obsessing about. She had her mom drive her to the church where Gordo had been saved. Jo dropped Lizzie off, promising to be back in an hour.

Lizzie entered the church, and was immediately greeted by Ray, as Lizzie saw from his nametag. "Hello; welcome to Calvary Chapel."

"Hi." she said quietly.

"Are you here for the 18 and up Bible study?" he asked, pointing the way.

"No. I want to talk to someone about a friend." she decided to put it very simply.

"Are you eighteen?" he asked.

"Yes." a puzzled look crossed her face.

"Minors." Ray said, smiling.

"Makes sense." she nodded.

"Come this way." he said, leading her to the Prayer Room. "What's troubling you?" he asked, once the door was closed.

"My ex-boyfriend got saved a couple of months ago, and after that he was different. Three weeks ago we officially broke up because I'm not a Christian. I want to be saved." she said bluntly.

"You don't want to be saved because your ex might take you back if you are, do you?" Ray smiled knowingly. Lizzie nodded embarrassedly. "What's your name, sweetheart?" Ray asked.

"Lizzie."

"Your ex isn't Gordo, is it?"

"Yes. You know him?"

"He's here now, at the bible study."

"Oh." Lizzie's heart began to race at the thought of maybe seeing Gordo.

"He's been praying for you a lot. He really loves you, but he told me that he can't trust his desires around you."

"What does that mean?"

"He loves you so much that he won't let himself kiss you or touch you because the temptation is too great to cope with."

"You mean he doesn't want to date me because he doesn't want to do anything wrong in God's eyes?"

"Essentially, yes."

"Wow." Lizzie hadn't allowed herself to think that before, and it was a very interesting thought.

"And God loves you, too, Lizzie."

"Really?" Lizzie was back to her old self again. "If he loves me, why did the accident happen? Why did Miranda die? Why am I paralyzed?"

"I don't know God's reasons, but maybe He allowed the accident to happen so that it would draw you and Gordo closer to Him." Ray's words sent Lizzie over the edge crying.

"I really want to be saved." she said, honestly. "I really want to."

Ray happily led Lizzie in prayer, just as he had done for Gordo only weeks earlier. 

Lizzie left the Prayer Room just as the Bible study was finished. Gordo looked up from the water fountain and saw her. "Lizzie?" he practically ran to her side.

"Gordo!" she smiled, tears still fresh on her cheeks. "I have some news, Gordo. I talked to Ray."

"And...?" he asked the question burning in his heart with his eyes. She nodded in response.

"Oh, Lizzie!" he smiled, and scooped her out of her wheelchair, squeezing her tightly. "I love you." were the next words out of his mouth.

"I love you too, Gordo." 


End file.
